A hero of metals who also played a leading role at football club

Arthur Edward Milner is the latest in our series of significant people from Ian Handford, President of the Torbay Civic Society.
Arthur Edward Milner was the only child born on July 15, 1898 to Edward, who owned a brass casting company in Birmingham, and mother Charlotte, an agent for a sewing machine company. After leaving school, Arthur worked in a shoe factory before joining his father in the family metal foundry business based at Curdworth, Sutton Coldfield.
By the mid-1940s, Arthur was Chairman of his own company, whilst serving as President of the British Non-Ferrous Metals Association (today the British Metals Recycling Association).
In 1950, Arthur moved his family to Torbay to reside at 231 Dartmouth Road, Paignton, before moving on to Seaway Lane Torquay in 1955. They spent 10 years at Protea House, Livemead, which today still comprises gardens of around one acre, including a swimming pool, luxurious flower beds, rockeries and a walled garden.
Arthur was a keen follower of football and within two years of arrival in Torbay, had accepted an invitation to join the Board of Directors of Torquay United. Then, in 1954, he sold his share capital in Arthur E Milner (Metals) to Coley Metals Ltd, although was retained as a member of the Coley Board.
It was in that year he was appointed Chairman of Torquay United when Eric Webber was managing the team and the club now performed its greatest ‘giant-killing’ in the Third Round of the FA Cup by winning 4-0 at home against Leeds United, captained by the legendary international star John Charles.
Torquay then drew 2-2 away to Huddersfield, narrowly losing by an only goal of the replay in front of a record crowd of 21,908 fans in 1955 at Plainmoor. The team enjoyed some of the club’s longest-ever serving players, including skipper Dennis Lewis, winger Ronnie Shaw, record goal scorer Sam Collins and the midfield maestro Don Mills.
They produced the best-ever league seasons in 1956-57, being the only club promoted from Division Three South to Division Two (then named the Championship league). Torquay United finished level on points with Ipswich Town (manager Alf Ramsey - who later led England to their World Cup victory in 1966), although disappointingly Torquay United were just pipped by Ipswich who topped the division by having a slightly better overall goal average.
Being a permanent resident in Torbay, Arthur remained closely involved with his business interests in the Midlands, bringing an important link to many of the top division football clubs. That reaped huge benefits for Torquay United, as it enabled Arthur to improve our local squad by securing the services of players for nominal transfer fees, including defender Colin Bettany, midfielder Geoff Cox, prolific goal-scorer Robin Stubbs and the former England winger Gordon Astall. However, despite signings, an inconsistent period followed and the club suffered financial difficulty due to gate income falling drastically.
United came fourth from bottom in 1957-58 and found themselves in the newly created Division Four with the Division of Three Regions being scrapped. Promoted to Division Three in 1959-60, relegation to Division Four once again came in 1961-62 season.
By the end of the 1965-66, the newly appointed manager Frank O’Farrell brought promotion back to the Third Division until a few months later, Arthur Milner accepted the position of President of Torquay United, due to giving up as Chairman. He handed the reins to solicitor Tony Boyce, stating ‘It’s a young man’s game these days’.
That year, Coley Metals merged Arthur E Milner (Metals) with City Casting to become City Casting and Milner Metals Ltd, while Arthur served as Chairman only until September 1969, when he permanently retired. Death came just a year later at age 72 on October 15, 1970, a few hours after he attended a reserve match at Plainmoor.
It would not be until 2023 that retired Elected Mayor of Torbay Gordon Oliver suggested we should commemorate this long-forgotten star by unveiling a Blue Plaque to his honour at Protea on Seaway Lane.
IAN'S COMMENT: An amazing previously lost story of local sporting and industrial success where its owner, like others, financially supported Torquay United.
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